With A Little Help From My Friends...

I'm going to keep it brief, because I didn't sleep last night and I'm so exhausted it isn't funny!

To update the situation: The powers that be were pleased with my swift reaction to the 'crisis'. The dust appears to be settling, and with any luck, nothing more will come of anything. Fingers crossed for me!

Starting over isn't easy but I just checked my email for the first time since last night, and it was FLOODED with friends and followers and messages of support. I am overwhelmed and so honoured to be part of such a fantastic group of people at Siren Publishing. Seriously. I'm crying right now. And I am at a loss for words on how to express my gratitude, but I think the Beatles sum it up nicely.

"I get by, with a little help from my friends."

Thank you.

Starting Over

Every once in a while, annoying things happen in life. I'm sure you've all had those days. You know, the ones that go from bad to worse? Today was one of those days for me. I started off late for the day job and barely made it on time. Before I had a chance to catch my breath, my boss was pulling me into his office for a chat.

The topic? My erotic romance book. No, not the one being published by Siren Publishing in January, but the one published under another name. Apparently, not all my co-workers are as trustworthy as I thought, and someone felt they needed to bring it to the attention of the boss. I won't give you any more detail except to say that yes, I do have the kind of job where people would get upset to find out that I write "Dirty Fuck Books" (my husband's term).

So I've spent the better part of the day killing off my former alter-ego. And now I am starting over. I try to be an optimistic person. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and that even when things seem crappy, there is an opportunity waiting to be found, even if it isn't immediately apparent. Was I upset about this development? You bet. I may find out tomorrow that I'm going to be disciplined. I may even lose my job. I guess we'll see how it goes.

Starting over. This is a fresh canvas. I am now free to recreate myself. How many people get to say that? Everything from the previous identity that I wasn't so keen on? It's gone. Sometimes it would be nice to be able to do that in real life as well.

This little blip has me more determined than ever. It's been a total pain in the ass, with the potential for becoming a colossal pain in the ass. But I won't stop writing. That would mean I thought I was doing something wrong, and I'm not.

Erotic romance is a genre that is a hot commodity. Literally ;) There are people out there who love these books and are always looking for more. An erotic romance is a regular story, except the bedroom door is left wide open. And here's an astonishing fact: people who are in love have sex. GASP! I know many of you will find that shocking but it's true. Is it pornographic? Probably. It's not something you would want the kids, your mother, or the minister to see. But it helps to give us that little bit of fantasy, that titillation (great word, isn't it?) that we all desire.

Contrary to what my boss and other co-workers believe, my books won't hurt anyone. Maybe they just need to get laid more. It's a shame to have to hide a great achievement from everyone in your life. I am proud of what I have accomplished. I just can't tell anyone. Except my future readers.

Thank you for starting over with me.